Tool Container

ABSTRACT

A tool storage container has a two sided base. Covers are secured to each side of the base via a pair of latches. The base includes a wall portion which provides a plurality of tool holding receptacles.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to tool containers and, morespecifically, to a container for retaining tools such as saw blades.

BACKGROUND

Tool storage containers for saw blades, for example, come in many forms.The containers may include telescoping parts to compensate for variouslengths of the tools or saw blades. Also, various types of holdersmaintain the tools or blades in position in the container. While thesecontainers are satisfactory for their intended purpose, designers striveto improve the art. It is desirable to have a container that holdsmultiple types of tools or saw blades, holds numerous tools or sawblades, and enables ready access to the tools or saw blades.Accordingly, the present disclosure provides the art with such acontainer that is durable, lightweight and easy to use.

The present disclosure provides the art with a tool storage containerthat enables the user to see through the cover in order to determine thetype of tools or saw blades stored in the container. The presentdisclosure provides the art with a two sided storage container. Thecontainer of the present disclosure may be pocket size. The storagecontainer enables access to one side of the storage containerindependently of the other side. The present storage container providesdivided receptacles to separate various types of tools or saw bladesfrom one another. Additionally, the container enables the user toprovide his own indicia to determine the tool or saw blade in a specificreceptacle.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect of the disclosure, a tool containercomprises a base. The base has two sides that include at least one toolholding receptacle on each side of the base. A pair of covers, one oneach side of the base, covers the receptacles.

In accordance with a second aspect of the disclosure, a tool containercomprises a base member with two sides. A wall is formed on each side ofthe base member. The wall extends from the base and defines a pluralityof tool holding receptacles. A pair of covers, each coupled with thebase, are movable with respect to the base between a first position,that prohibits access to the tool holding receptacles, and a secondposition, that enable access to the tool holding receptacles.

In accordance with a third aspect of the disclosure, a tool containercomprises a rectangular base with two sides defined by longitudinal andlateral edges. A pair of walls are on each side of the rectangular base.Each wall extends from the base and defines a lateral web and a pair oflongitudinal legs to provide the wall with an overall U shape. At leastone additional longitudinal leg extends from the lateral web between thepair of longitudinal legs to define at least two tool holdingreceptacles on each side of the rectangular base. A gap is formedbetween opposing ends of the legs of the wall. A pair of covers areprovided with one cover on each side of the rectangular base. Each coveris movable with respect to the base between a first position, thatprohibits access to the tool holding receptacles, and a second position,that enables access to the tool holding receptacles. A pair of latchmechanisms is coupled with the covers. Each latch mechanism secures oneof the covers with the rectangular base.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the descriptionprovided herein. It should be understood that the description andspecific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and arenot intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and arenot intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the storage container in accordance withthe present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the storage container of FIG. 1 with oneof the covers in an open position.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the storage container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the storage container with bothcovers shown in phantom moving between an open and closed position ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top or bottom plan view of the storage container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the end of thestorage container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is notintended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.

Turning to the figures, specifically FIG. 1, a storage container isillustrated and designated with the reference numeral 10. The container10 includes a base 12 and a pair of covers 14 and 16. Preferably, thecovers 14 and 16 are identical; however, they could be different.Preferably, the covers are transparent to enable a user to see throughthe covers 14, 16 to view tools or saw blades 18 contained within thestorage container 10.

The base 12 has an overall rectangular configuration with longitudinalsides 20, 22 and lateral ends 24, 26. The base 12 is two sided includinga first side 28 and a second side 30. The sides 28, 30 are substantiallyidentical and will be discussed singularly below. Each side 28, 30include extending walls 32, 32′, 34, 34′ on each end of the sides 28,30. The walls 32, 32′, 34, 34′ include a pair of longitudinal legs 36,36′, 38, 38′ connected by a lateral web 40, 40′. The longitudinal walls36, 36′, 38, 38′ and web 40, 40′ provide an overall square U shape. TheU-shaped walls 32, 32′, 34, 34′ are positioned around the periphery ateach end of the rectangular base. The walls 32, 32′, 34, 34′ are alongthe periphery of the lateral end 24, 26 and a portion of thelongitudinal sides 20, 22.

The legs 36, 36′, 38, 38′ have substantially the same height. Legs 36′,38′ include a cutout portion to receive the cover indention. At leastone and as illustrated, a pair of longitudinal wall portions 42, 42′,44, 44′ extend from the lateral web 40, 40′. The walls portion 42, 42′,44, 44′ are parallel to the legs 36, 36′, 38, 38′ and divide the spacebetween the legs 36, 36′, 38, 38′ to form blade receiving receptacles46, 48, 50. The receptacles 46, 48, 50 receive tools or saw blades 18and separate and provide distinct saw blade receiving receptacles.

The longitudinal legs 36, 36′, 38, 38′, as well as the wall potions 42,42′, 44, 44′ extend the same distance from the web 40, 40′. The legs 36,36′, 38, 38′ and wall portions 42, 42′, 44, 44′ include an angled or arcportion at their free end and extend from the planar side 28 or 30. Agap 52 is formed between the opposing legs, 36′, 36, 38′, 38 and wallportions 42, 42′, 44, 44′. There are four wall 32, 32′, 34, 34′ two oneach side 28, 30 of the base 12 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, tools orsaw blades 18 may be contained within the receptacles 46, 48, 50 on eachside of the saw blade container base 12. Additionally, more or less wallportions 42, 42′, 44, 44′ may be positioned between the longitudinallegs 36, 36′, 38, 38′ to provide more or less receptacles on the base.

Each side 28, 30 may include the same amount of receptacles or adifferent amount of receptacles depending upon the design of the base12. Additionally, the receptacles on the wall 32, 32′ and 34, 34′ arealigned with one another so that the saw blades 18 extend between walls32 and 34 so that the saw blades 18 may be grabbed at the gap 52. Ledges54, 56 are on each longitudinal side 20, 22 of the base 12. The ledges54, 56 provide a stop for the covers 14 and 16.

The ends 24, 26 each include a pair of pillow blocks 58, 60 whichinclude bores to receive a journal pin 62 that retains the cover 14 ontothe base 12. Additionally, the ends 24, 26 include a catch 64 thatcouples with a latch 70 on the covers 14 and 16 to lockably secure thecovers 14 and 16 with the base 12. The catch 64 includes an elongatedbeam 65 with a cut-out 66 to receive the latch. Additionally, the beam65 has a rail portion 68 with an undercut that couples with the latch 70to retain the cover 14 with the base 12 in a locked condition.Accordingly, the latch 70 moves between a locked and unlocked position.

The covers 14, 16 have an overall rectangular configuration. The covers14, 16 include a top 72 with a depending peripheral skirt 74. The top 72is generally planar. This enables a user to add indicia 75 to identifythe tool or blade in a specific receptacle 46, 48, 50. Generally, ascalloped configuration is about the sides of the top and skirt 74 toprovide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The skirt 74 abuts andrests against the ledges 54 and 56 when the covers 14, 16 are in aclosed position, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4 and 6. One end of thecovers 14, 16 includes a pivot mechanism 76 to retain it onto the base12 while the other end includes an indented portion 89 which includeslatch 70 to lock the covers 14, 16 with the base 12.

The pivot mechanism 76 includes a block 78 with a pair of ears 80, 82.The block and ears 78, 80, 82 include bores which receive the journalpin 62. The covers 14, 16 are aligned with the base 12. Accordingly, thepillow blocks 58, 60, with their bores, are positioned between andaxially aligned with the bores of block 78 and ears 80, 82. Thus, thejournal pin 62 is passed into the bores to pivotally connect the covers14, 16 with the base 12, as seen in FIG. 2.

The indented end portion 84 includes a rail 86 which retains the latch70 onto the indented portion 84. The rail 86 has an overall D shape withundercuts along the top and bottom. The latch 70 has a D shaped cutoutso that the latch 70 can slide on the rail 86. The rail 86 has a pair ofdetents 89 to hold the latch 70 in its open and locked positions. Also,the rails 86 and 64 include terminal walls 87, 65 to prohibit the latchfrom being removed from the rails 86 and 64 during use, as seen in FIG.6. The rail 86 has a half D shaped portion 88 that abuts the halfD-shaped rail 64 of the base 12 so that the latch 70 couples with boththe half D shaped portions to form the D shaped rail to lock the covers14, 16 with the base as seen in FIG. 7.

The latch 70 has an overall J-shaped configuration in cross-section. Thearcuate portion of the latch 70 includes the D-shaped cutout 90 which isdesigned to couple with the D-shaped rails on the covers 14, 16 and base12. The latch 70 easily slides along the rail 86 and rail portions 88,64 so that the base 12 and covers 14, 16 can be locked with one another.

The covers 14, 16 are generally manufactured from a plastic material.Generally, the covers 14, 16 are transparent to enable a user to seethrough the cover. However, the covers 14, 16 may be opaque or tinted toprovide either no viewing or viewing through a darker transparent cover.Additionally, the base is manufactured from a plastic material. The basemay be opaque or could be tinted. The container 10 may be of any sizeand, if desired, may be sized to fit into a pocket of the user.Additionally, a clip mechanism could be coupled with the container toenable it to be hung from a user's belt or the like.

Thus, the storage container 10 provides multiple tool and/or saw bladeholding receptacles on two sides of a base. The covers 14, 16 pivot inopposite directions with respect to one another so that generally onecover is closed and locked with the base while the other cover isopened. Two latches enable the covers 14, 16 to be independently securedand opened with respect to the base 12. Accordingly, a user can flip thecontainer from side to side to provide access to tools positioned withinthe container 10. Different sides of the base may contain differenttools. For example, one side might contain all wood cutting blades whilethe other side might contain metal cutting saw blades, drill bits,sockets, hand tools or the like. The tools have different sizes and fitwithin the different sized receptacle on different sides of the storagecontainer. Also, the pattern or number of the receptacles could bedifferent on each side of the container in order to provide the desirednumber of receptacles per storage container.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and,thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention areintended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations arenot to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

1. A tool container comprising: a base, said base having two sides; atleast one blade holding receptacle on each side of said base; and a pairof covers, one on each side of said base for covering said receptacles.2. The tool container according to claim 1, further comprising a latchmechanism on each cover for securing said cover with said base.
 3. Thetool container according to claim 1, further comprising two or more toolholding receptacles on each side of said base.
 4. The tool containeraccording to claim 1, wherein said base including an extending ledge forproviding a seating surface for said cover.
 5. The tool containeraccording to claim 1, wherein said base including a plurality of pivotmembers coupled with said covers for providing pivotal movement of saidcovers.
 6. A tool container comprising: a base member having two sides;a wall on each side of said base member, said wall extending from saidbase and defining a plurality of tool holding receptacles; a pair ofcovers each coupled with said base, said covers movable with respect tosaid base between a first position, prohibiting access to said toolholding receptacles, and a second position, enabling access to said toolholding receptacles.
 7. The tool container of claim 6, wherein said wallincludes a plurality of parallel portions spaced from one another suchthat a distance between adjacent segments defines a width of thereceptacles.
 8. The tool container of claim 7, wherein said portionsextend along a longitudinal axis of said base.
 9. The tool container ofclaim 8, wherein said portions are interrupted along said longitudinalaxis enabling a user to grasp a tool retained in said receptacle. 10.The tool container of claim 6, wherein said base includes a pair ofledges spaced from and extending along a longitudinal axis for providinga stop for said covers.
 11. The tool container of claim 6, furthercomprising a plurality of pillow blocks on said base for receiving ajournal pin coupled with said cover for providing pivotal movement ofsaid cover.
 12. The tool container of claim 11, wherein at least one ofsaid plurality of pillow blocks is positioned on each end of said base.13. The tool container of claim 12, wherein said at least one pillowblock is on opposite sides of said base end.
 14. The tool container ofclaim 13, wherein said covers pivot away from said base in oppositedirections.
 15. A tool container comprising: a rectangular base having apair of longitudinal sides and a pair of lateral ends; a pair of wallson each side of said rectangular base, each wall extending from saidbase and defining a lateral web and a pair of longitudinal legs havingan overall U shape with the longitudinal legs transverse to the lateralweb; at least one additional longitudinal wall portion extending fromsaid lateral web between said pair of longitudinal legs to define atleast two tool holding receptacles on each side of said rectangularbase; a gap between opposing ends of said legs of said wall; a pair ofcovers, one cover on each side of said rectangular base, each said covermovable with respect to said base between a first position, prohibitingaccess to said tool holding receptacles, and a second position, enablingaccess to said tool holding receptacles; and a pair of latch mechanisms,each for securing one of said covers with said rectangular base.
 16. Thetool container of claim 15, wherein said base includes a pair of ledgesspaced from and extending along a longitudinal axis for providing a stopfor said covers.
 17. The tool container of claim 15, further comprisinga plurality of pillow blocks on said base for receiving a journalcoupled with said cover for providing pivotal movement of said cover.18. The tool container of claim 17, wherein at least one of saidplurality of pillow blocks is positioned on each end of said base. 19.The tool container of claim 18, wherein said at least one pillow blockis on opposite sides of said base end.
 20. The tool container of claim16, wherein said covers are transparent and include a portion forreceiving user indicia.